The History of England
by CAWHS
Summary: A series of short stories revolving around England's life. Beginning in Roman Rule and ending in modern day.
1. Roman Rule: Part 1

**Alright, so I thought that I would give a series a shot. This is basically going to become a series of events throughout England's life. And we'll start it off with Rome's invasion of Britannia!**

**Character ages:**

** England: 2**

** Wales: 4**

** North/Ireland: 7**

** Scotland: 10**

**To clear up any confusion:**

** Albion = England**

** Cymru = Wales**

** Tuaisceart = North**

** Eire = Ireland**

** Alba = Scotland**

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Hetalia: Axis Powers _or its characters.**

* * *

**Southern Britannia**

**(Fishbourne, England)**

**43 AD**

A boy with unruly blond hair clumsily ran through an empty meadow. The boy, being no more than two years old, was almost swallowed completely by the tall, dry grass, however he trotted along undisturbed. His small legs were unable to take him too far too quickly, and before long he found himself lying on his back in the shade of a large tree. His chest heaved as his tiny lungs worked to catch his breath, but his face held an expression that was nothing less than pure content.

Another small boy, this one with dark blond hair, slowly followed in the aftermath of his younger brother. He joined him underneath the tree in a comfortable silence for several moments before the younger one spoke up.

_"Cymru,"_ he began. _"Where are Alba, Eire, and Tuaisceart?"_

The older boy, known as Cymru, shrugged as he began to unconsciously pull at the grass. The younger frowned, but accepted the answer. Their brothers would return soon.

As he relaxed under the tree, a pleasant drowsiness overcame him. The earlier spark of excitement in his emerald eyes began to fade as his eyelids suddenly gained weight that he was unable to support. As he closed his eyes, he allowed the gentle sleep to take over.

Cymru sighed as he watched his younger brother. Their earlier playing had clearly taken its toll on him, and Cymru knew that Alba would be concerned. Cymru leaned his back against the trunk of the tree as he waited for their older brothers to return.

* * *

_"You are awful at this, you know,"_ Eire scoffed at his twin. Tuaisceart shot a glare at Eire before retrieving his fallen arrows in defeat.

_"As if you are any better,"_ he replied meekly, blushing in embarrassment.

_"Shut it, you two!"_ Alba snapped. _"Both of you just need practice. Stop picking on each other."_ The glare between the twin brothers eventually twisted into amused smirks as the tense air began to fade. Alba ran his fingers through his flaming hair, clearly exhausted from spending the day teaching his younger brothers how to hunt. The quiet forest had quickly lost its animal inhabitants as soon as the rowdy brothers had arrived. Not that Alba had expected them to catch anything. He was merely teaching them proper form and techniques to help hone their early skills. For the past few days he brought the twins into the forest to teach them, leaving his smaller brothers, Cymru and Albion, to do as they wished. Alba did not fear for their safety. The brothers had lived together in this part of Southern Britannia for several years, tucked away from danger and from the tribes that roamed around the island of Britannia. However, being the eldest, Alba was never able to rid himself of the nagging and nervous feeling he had whenever he was separated from any of his brothers for too long.

_"Let us head back. The sun is starting to set and I want to make sure that Cymru and Albion made it back safely," _Alba instructed. Eire and Tuaisceart nodded in agreement as they gathered their arrows. Alba led them through the forest, knowing his way through the dense trees. His sturdy boots protected his feet from the small rocks and twigs that littered the ground. Eire and Tuaisceart followed him, shoving each other occasionally with mischievous glints in their eyes. Their shaggy, brown hair glinted with red as the rays of the setting sun beamed on them through the tree tops.

Eventually the trees began to thin as they opened up to a large meadow. The meadow was empty, save for a large tree in the middle. The setting sun painted the sky with deep purples and fiery oranges as grey clouds delicately listed by. Alba squinted against the blinding backdrop and saw two small figures underneath the tree. He felt relief flood through him as anxiety he wasn't aware he held left him. Tuaisceart dashed in front of him as he ran to great his younger brothers. Eire grinned and took off after him.

Alba walked after them, observing the scene in front of him. One of the small figures jumped up from beneath the tree and ran towards the twin brothers. Alba chuckled as the three brothers created something of a dog pile, causing the small figure to tumble down. When he reached his brothers, he helped Cymru up as Eire and Tuaisceart continued to wrestle with each other. Cymru hugged Alba's leg, earning him his oldest brother's attention.

_"How was your day, Cymru?"_ Alba asked. Cymru grinned up at Alba.

_"It was fun! Albion and I played in the meadow today,"_ Cymru explained. Alba smiled at Cymru.

_"And what is Albion doing?"_ Alba asked, frowning slightly at the small figure that had not moved from its spot underneath the tree. Alba already knew Cymru's answer.

_"He is sleeping,"_ Cymru answered. Alba stared at the figure for a minute before looking back at Cymru.

_"Well, he will wake up when he is rested!"_ Alba smiled back down at Cymru. A yelp from Tuaisceart caused Alba and Cymru to jump as Eire stood up proudly, puffing out his chest and placing his hands triumphantly on his hips.

_"You cheated!"_ Tuaisceart snapped at Eire. _"You kicked me! You cannot kick in wrestling!"_ The twins continued to argue as Alba sighed in annoyance and Cymru watched them, slightly amused by their behavior.

_"Alba!"_

Alba looked back toward the tree as the earlier stationary figure began to run towards him. Albion's light, blond hair shone in the setting sun as his tiny body ran across the field. When he reached Alba, he jumped into his arms and buried his face into his chest. Alba hugged his brother fondly.

_"How are you feeling, Albion? Were you sleeping?"_ Alba asked. Albion nodded as he yawned lazily and stretched his arms.

_"Cymru and I played a lot today," _Albion explained.

_"But you feel alright now?"_

_"Yes."_ Alba placed Albion back on the ground. Albion sent him a toothy grin of reassurance.

As the evening passed, the brothers ran and tumbled, laughing and play fighting in an almost savage way. They were children of the land, free to do as they pleased. Their mother, Britannia, had left them several months before, promising to return and asking they look out for one another in her absence. This was not an uncommon occurrence, especially after Albion's birth. She made frequent visits to Rome, refusing to allow them to accompany her when they asked. She would promise them that she would come back to them soon, and, as soon as her four youngest sons had finally fallen into a peaceful sleep, she would speak to Alba privately. Their secret conversations always consisted of her praising of him, asking him to keep looking after his brothers, and, most importantly of all, to keep a close eye on Albion. She had always feared for her youngest son. He was much smaller than his brothers and tired far too quickly for her liking. Though she would never call him weak, her worry was evident, and she would continue her trips to Rome for as long as she had to in order to protect him from invasion. _An invasion, I fear_, she would tearfully confide in Alba, _will surely be the end of him._

Alba laughed as he watched his brothers play in the meadow. Eire and his twin were throwing dirt clumps at one another while Cymru tried to hide in the grass, his eyebrows knotted in concern. Albion watched his older brothers perform their mock war and gave Cymru a wide, toothy grin, cocking his head to the side. Alba crouched beside them.

_"You are fine, Cymru. They are just having fun, that is all,"_ he assured his younger brother. The worry disappeared from his face to be replaced with a smile. Albion, wanting to join in his brothers' fun, grabbed a dirt clump, and threw it at Cymru's back. The four year old jumped, quickly sending a tiny glare to his younger brother. Alba barked out a laugh, earning him a glare as well.

Albion, clearly happy to have earned that response from Alba, started giggling. A sudden flare of pain hit his chest, and his wince did not go unnoticed by his eldest brother.

_"What is wrong, Albion?"_ Alba asked, quickly rushing to his brother's side. Albion blinked at him in confusion.

_"I do not know,"_ he responded. _"It hurts."_

_"Hurts? What do you mean? Hurts where? How?"_

_"It feels tight," _Albion replied. Another squeeze of pain ripped through his chest as he felt his muscles tighten. His breath hitched before his chest relaxed once again. He swayed on his feet. _"Alba, it hurts."_

Alba felt his younger brother's forehead.

_"You feel warm,"_ he mumbled. He scooped Albion up.

_"Alba! Where are you going?"_ Eire called after them as a clump of dirt belatedly hit his cheek.

"_I am putting Albion to bed. You should come soon, too."_ Eire grumbled, noticing for the first time that the sun had finally set before turning his attention back to his opponent. A final clump of dirt hit Eire in the face before Tuaisceart whooped in victory. Eire grumbled to himself as he stalked after Alba. Cymru clutched Tuaisceart's hand and they too followed in the wake of their brothers.

Alba watched Albion, frowning slightly as he fell into a fitful sleep. The three remaining brothers felt the tension in the air and sat awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Alba assured them that Albion would be fine and that he just needed rest. Cymru and Tuaisceart nodded languidly before falling asleep. Eire looked at Alba skeptically and was met only with hard set eyes. Eire broke their eye contact, accepting that whatever Alba was hiding from them would not be explained, and soon fell asleep as well. Alba sat beside Albion, occasionally feeling his forehead to check for rising temperatures. He had been dreading this since his mother had warned him of the possibility. He knew that she could only protect them for so long and from so much. He watched Albion twist and turn in his sleep as he contemplated his next course of action. However, as much as he refused to admit it, he knew that he was already much too late. The day his mother had fought to postpone had finally arrived.

Rome had finally succeeded in invading the shores of Southern Britannia.

* * *

The morning came early for Alba. He had stayed up late the previous night as he watched over Albion. Eventually, the blond toddler fell into a peaceful sleep. Alba allowed himself to succumb to his own exhaustion only after he felt assured that Albion had finally settled down. As Alba stretched, he inspected Albion and felt relief flood through him as the toddler's chest fell up and down in a calm rhythm. His porcelain, baby face was peaceful and content. Alba shot a quick glance at his other three brothers, chuckling to himself as he found that Tuaisceart had somehow managed to grab a chunk of Eire's hair in his sleep. Eire contorted his face into a scowl, but whether that was out of unconscious annoyance towards Tuaisceart or his general demeanor, Alba couldn't tell.

Alba sat underneath the large tree for a few quiet moments, savoring the early morning stillness. The sun had just begun to ascend into the sky, decorating it with gentle, pastel colors. A slight mist adorned the tall grass, giving it a shimmery appeal. The scene was completely silent save for the distant singing of early morning birds and the gentle snores of the Irish twins. After collecting himself during his moment of peace, Alba gathered his bow and arrows.

_"Where are you going?"_ Alba jumped at the sudden noise. He sighed before addressing the voice.

"_What are you doing up so early, Eire?"_ Eire stared back at him, sleep still evident in his emerald eyes. He flashed his older brother a crooked grin.

_"I could ask you the same thing," _he retorted. Alba smirked back at him. Eire frowned slightly, remembering his earlier question. _"Is it Albion?"_

Alba tensed. _"Yes."_

_"And Rome?"_

_"Most likely."_ Eire ran his fingers through his thick, brown hair. He smirked back up at his brother.

_"And what exactly makes you think that you can take on Rome by yourself?"_ he asked.

_"The same thing that makes me think that I will not benefit by your being there,"_ Alba retorted. Eire opened his mouth to protest before being cut off. _"Look,__I know that this is Rome, but I cannot just sit here and pretend it is not happening. He is in Britannia. If left unstopped, he will eventually take over Albion. After that, it is only a matter of time before he gets to Cymru and me. If he has all three of us, there is no one to stop him from getting to you and Tuaisceart. I promised M__á__thair that I would not let that happen. Besides, I do not think that Albion is strong enough to handle an invasion. M__á__thair expects me to look after you all, so I cannot sit by and let Rome take over without a fight."_

Eire let Alba's words sink in before reaching for his own bow and arrows. Alba moved to stop him, but Eire slapped his hand away.

_"You cannot just set off looking for Rome and attack him without some sort of plan,"_ Eire explained. _"You are an _eejit_ if you think you can. Let us at least get some breakfast for this lot before you set off."_

Alba tensed, not welcoming to the idea of leaving his younger brothers alone. Not with the possibility of Rome lurking around. Eire saw the frown on Alba's face and quickly stepped in with reassurances.

_"They will be fine while we are gone. Do you not think that if Rome knew where we were then he would have come after us by now? We will not be gone for too long. Besides, Tuaisceart will look after Cymru and Albion while we are gone. He is a dunderhead, believe me, I understand this, but he will keep a close eye on them."_

Alba relaxed and allowed Eire to ready himself for the hunt.

_"Let us just hope they stay asleep while we are gone," _Alba said. _"I do not want to go looking for them in the woods again." _Eire laughed, recalling the memory of Tuaisceart getting lost in the woods in search of Alba.

_"Nah," _he said. _"There is no way Tuaisceart is waking up before the sun is up and Cymru and Albion seemed pretty exhausted last night. We should be fine." _Once ready, Alba and Eire left their brothers behind as they entered the woods in search of their meal.

It wasn't until an hour had passed that the meadow saw movement again.

Cymru stirred awake, rubbing his eyes. Cymru yawned as he stretched his tiny frame. Once aware of his surroundings, he noticed that the sun was shining and the usual early morning dew had disappeared. He had slept in later than was typical of him. Not to his surprise, Tuaisceart and Albion were still deep in sleep, undisturbed by the bright light of the sun.

Cymru stood up and looked around for Alba and Eire. He circled around the trunk of the tree, gently tracing the bark with his small hands as he did. He ventured out from underneath the shading of the tree branches, giggling slightly as the tall grass tickled him. When he failed to find either of his elder brothers in the meadow he assumed that they had gone into the forest before he awoke in search of breakfast. Cymru observed his two sleeping brothers. Coming to the conclusion that they wouldn't be waking up any time soon, he set off into the dense trees in search of Alba and Eire for companionship.

He was no stranger to the land of Britannia, and this particular forest was no exception. Cymru wound his way around the trees, completely sure of his direction. However, although he knew the land well, tracking down his older brothers within the labyrinth was something else entirely. Cymru sighed to himself as he continued to wander around, hoping to come across them soon. If all else failed, he would simply return to hopefully a fully awake Tuaisceart and Albion.

* * *

Tuaisceart snapped his eyes open to find his brothers' usual resting spots, save for Albion's, unoccupied. Undisturbed by this fact, he simply stood and stretched his stiff muscles. He glanced around for some sign of his brothers and found himself again undisturbed by their absence. Sighing out of boredom, he decided to grab his bow and arrows in order to practice his aim near the edge of the forest.

He slowly made his way through the tall grasses, tromping on the blades that stood in his way out of habit. Once he spotted an ideal tree on the forest's edge, he glanced over his shoulder in order to make sure he was able to see Albion. While he was not quite as protective as Alba, he too was coming to the age where he began to feel the shared responsibility for his youngest brother's well being. Once he was satisfied, Tuaisceart began his practice.

He carefully aimed each arrow before setting them free. He smiled to himself when the arrows hit their intended target and cursed silently when they missed. Pieces of the tree's bark split and flew into the air as it gave into the blows. Tuaisceart's chest filled with pride as he observed his last arrow wedge into the trunk. He walked over to the tree, feeling as though he had improved much from his yesterday's practice, and that he would need to show Alba and Eire when they returned.

After he cleaned up his make shift practice area, he glanced around the meadow for any signs of his brothers' return. He frowned with impatience. However, he quickly regained his good humor when he saw Albion sitting underneath the tree playing with the large blades of grass. Tuaisceart quickly darted back to the tree.

_"Good morning, Albion!" _he greeted. Albion grinned at his older brother.

_"Good morning, Tuaisceart," _he replied, dropping the grass in his hands suddenly to rub at his chest. Tuaisceart frowned.

_"Are you feeling alright? What is wrong?"_ Tuaisceart asked, kneeling down to meet Albion's gaze. Albion allowed his hands to fall as the pain in his chest subsided.

_"My chest hurts,"_ Albion replied, a small whine in his voice.

_"I am sure that Alba will be back soon. Do you think that you will be alright to wait for him?" _Albion began to nod, but stopped abruptly as he suddenly collapsed. Tuaisceart immediately supported his younger brother's shoulders. Albion allowed his body to limp into his brother's grasp, shaking slightly as he hiccuped and as tears began to slip from his eyes.

_Cac_, Tuaisceart thought as he grabbed Albion. Once he had the toddler secure in his grasp, he ran back towards the edge of the forest. He didn't bother to shove the grass out of his way. Once clear of the meadow, he ran into the forest in search of Alba.

* * *

_"Where are all of the animals?!" _Eire demanded of no one in particular. He stomped his foot in frustration as a growl escape his lips.

_"I do not know, but it is too quiet for my liking," _Alba interjected. As he observed the forest, a small glint on the ground caught his attention. He walked over to it and carefully inspected the object. He frowned.

_"What is it?"_ Eire asked. Alba turned to face his brother, showing him the object in his hands.

_"A knife," _Alba said, surprised. Eire looked at the knife, shock evident on his face.

_"A knife? Out here? But no one has ever come out here before," _he said. Alba glared at the knife.

_"He is close. We need to get back to the others,"_ Alba ordered as he began marching back through the trees. Eire quickly followed. Alba's blood felt hot in his veins and he could feel his heart beat racing. He began to perspire, making his skin clamy. His breathing came in quick, short gasps.

_"Alba?"_ Eire asked cautiously. Alba ignored his brother. Suddenly, he broke into a sprint. Eire, worried for his older brother, ran after him.

Whether it was his sudden spike of adrenaline or his protective instinct that made him run, Alba wasn't sure. He blocked Eire's anxious shouts from his mind and continued on. He swiftly dodged trees and debris that blocked his way on swift feet.

Then, just as quickly as he began, he came to sudden halt. Eire crashed into him, sending them tumbling to the ground.

_"Alright, what in _blazes_ was th-"_

_"Hush!"_ Alba demanded. The two tangled brothers froze as they strained their ears. Just as Eire was beginning to worry for his brother's health, he heard it. In the distance, he could faintly hear something moving. _People_ moving. He shifted his gaze to Alba. They exchanged a nod before rising back to their feet and quietly following the source of the noise.

After several minutes of nerve racking progress, the trees began to thin. They carefully hid themselves behind two of the thicker trunks and cautiously glanced around.

They found themselves situated at the top of a small cliff that overlooked a vast beach. The deep, dark waves gently lifted themselves onto the gray sand of the beach before lazily retreating back. Alba and Eire knew this beach. The five brothers had come here many times to play in the shallow waters and the slushy sand.

However what _was_ new to them was the a group of large, wooden devices with large blankets of cloth hanging from tall wooden poles. A crowd of men cluttered the beach, carrying things from the large wooden structures that floated in the water. The men were covered in robes long pieces of cloth, protecting clothing them from the chilling air of Britannia. Alba's eyes widened in shock and he tried to take in the scene.

_"Alba!" _Eire whispered. Alba looked at Eire. _"Do you think that those are those ship things that M__áthair told us about?"_

Alba stared at the large wooden structures on the water. Their mother had explained to them many times what ships looked like. His imagination ran wild with the idea of a device that would allow him to travel beyond the shores of Britannia and into the rest of the world. He had heard tales of exotic lands in the horizon under names like Gaul, Hispania, Gallia Belgica, and Germania.

_"I think so," _he replied in awe. Alba and Eire continued to watch the scene before them. They watched with childish curiosity as the men on the beach continued on, unaware of the two boys watching from above. Just as Alba and Eire found themselves entranced by the foreigners, a sudden, unwelcomed feeling spread through them. They snapped their attention back to each other, as if to confirm that the other had felt it as well.

_"Is that...?"_ Eire asked uncertainly. Alba nodded as dread caused his stomach to drop.

A man with short, curly, dark brown hair stood in the midst of the crowd on the beach. He stood up straight with his chest puffed out in authority. His amber eyes blazed with pride and his golden armor glinted in the sunlight. Alba felt his body tense with anger.

Rome.

_"We need to find the others. It is not safe here anymore," _he snapped at Eire. Eire nodded as they abandoned their positions behind the trees and sprinted back to the meadow to find their brothers.

The trees blurred past them as they hurried back to their home. Anxiety spread throughout Alba as his mother's warning repeated itself in his head.

_An invasion, I fear, will surely be the end of him._

Alba ran faster, determined to shake his mother's words from his mind. _Calm down,_ he thought to himself. _I will protect Albion. I will protect all of them. Do not worry, _Máthair.

* * *

_A tall, slender woman sat underneath a large tree in middle of an otherwise empty field. Her white skin and pale blond hair seemed to glow in the fading light. She wore a pale blue dress that draped down to her ankles. Her gentle green eyes held years of sorrow, but that was tucked away to be replaced with peaceful state of content. She was beautiful, despite the many bruises that adorned her arms._

_Two boys with messy, rust colored hair and freckles on their noses slept beside her, no longer tossing and turning while they dreamt. Their mother had returned. All was well again._

_A third boy, this one with a darker version of his mother's hair and her freckleless skin, slept with his back leaning against the trunk of the tree, his small head leaning against his mother's arm for support._

_A fourth boy with flaming red hair stared intently at his mother with matching green eyes. He sat a few feet across from her, leaning forward to take in everything that she had to tell him. He kept quiet, enjoying the rare moments he was able to spend with her._

"You are doing a wonderful job watching over them," _Britannia explained._ "I hate to have to ask you to do such things when you are still so young yourself."

"No! I do not mind at all!" _Albion quickly interjected. Britannia smiled at her oldest son._

"You have grown so much since I last visited," _she continued. _"And Albion! I cannot believe how he has been faring."

_Britannia turned her gaze to a fifth child nestled in her lap. Her arm that wasn't supporting Cymru was supporting her youngest son's head. His pale blond hair that matched hers perfectly poked out in different directions. She smiled affectionately at him as she slowly and gently ran her fingers through the soft strands. The toddler sighed contentedly as he unconsciously leaned into his mother's touch. His tiny hand had formed a gentle fist and his thumb was carefully placed near his lower lip. His body rose and fell slowly with his peaceful breathing._

"Yes. I have been keeping a close eye on him," _Alba told his mother. She turned her attention back to him._

"I can tell. You have done a wonderful job. I am doing what I can with Rome to keep all of you safe. However I know that he is planning an invasion soon and I do not know what I can do to stop him. I will fight him to protect you, but I need you to be prepared in case something goes wrong. I know that if Rome ever does invade, then he will enter the lands through Albion. He is the closest and I worry for him. He is still so young. He is not strong enough for an invasion yet. You must promise me, Alba, that if Rome ever does invade, you and your brothers will retreat into your lands of Northern Britannia. Promise me this, Alba."

_Alba stared nervously at his mother before answering. She had stopped stroking Albion's hair as her body tensed with anticipation._

"Yes, _Máthair_," _he said. _"I promise." _Britannia visibly relaxed at her son's words._

"Good, good," _she said as she resumed stroking Albion's pale locks._ "All of you must stay away from Rome. He is a very dangerous man. I shudder to think of the poor, young countries he has acquired. Gaul, Hispania, Gallia Belgica… all of them. I will not let that happen to you. To any of you."

_Albion moaned quietly as he altered his position slightly. He grabbed at the cloth on his mother's dress in his small fist before drifting back into deep sleep._

"He is so small," _Britannia said quietly as her eyes began to cloud over with tears. _"An invasion, I fear, will surely be the end of him."

* * *

Alba escaped the last of the trees as he burst into the meadow. He ran to the tree, fear filling him when he found the area abandoned.

_"No!" _he shouted. _"Where are they?! Where did they go?!"_ Eire stopped as he caught up to his brother.

_"I do not know," _Eire replied breathlessly. He bent down to pick up a bundle, frowning as he did so. _"Tuaisceart left his bow and arrow."_

_"Cac!"_ Alba shouted. He jumped in surprise at the sound of rustling near the edge of the forest. He felt enormous relief when he saw the small figure of Cymru emerge from the trees.

_"Cymru! Thank the gods!"_ Cymru looked at his brother with confusion which quickly turned into disappointment.

_"Where is breakfast? I am hungry,"_ he whined.

_"We do not have time to explain," _Eire stepped in as Alba scooped up the four year old. _"Where are Tuaisceart and Albion?"_ Cymru shrugged.

_"I do not know. I woke up before them. I went into the forest to look for you two," _Cymru explained. Alba and Eire looked at each other in alarm.

_"What do we do?" _Eire asked, trying to keep the panic from entering his voice. _"Should we wait for them to come back or go look for them?"_

Alba stared into the woods, willing Tuaisceart and Albion to return. When they did not, he placed Cymru on the ground.

_"Watch after Cymru," _Alba instructed Eire. _"I will go and look for them. If anyone finds you, run. Go north and find a tribe. Albion's people will keep you safe until I find you again."_ Eire was stunned.

_"Alba! No! We have already lost track of Tuaisceart and Albion. We cannot lose you too!"_

Alba barely heard his brother's words before he sprinted back into the forest.

_"Eejit!" _Eire shouted after him. Cymru looked at Eire with alarmed confusion, unaware of the danger that lurked nearby.

* * *

Tuaisceart ran through the trees while holding a trembling Albion. The toddler had broken out into a sweat and was shaking uncontrollably. Tuaisceart could feel his panic building up as he continued to search for Alba.

_"Cac! Cac, cac, cac,"_ he mumbled as twigs snapped beneath his feet. Albion whimpered as pain continued to flare in his chest. His skin burned Tuaisceart's arms. _"Alba, where are you?!"_

_"Tuaisceart?! Albion?!" _Tuaisceart skidded to a halt. He gulped several breaths of air before shouting out to the voice.

_"ALBA! Alba, over here!" _he shouted. _Oh, thank the gods._

Tuaisceart sank to the ground, exhausted from his blind run. Much to his relief, Alba emerged from the trees, looking as exhausted as Tuaisceart felt.

_"Alba! Albion. He is-"_

_"I know," _Alba interjected. _"Listen. We need to get out of here. Now!"_ Tuaisceart gave his brother a quizzical look.

_"What are you talking about?"_ he asked. Alba shook his head impatiently.

_"Just trust me-"_Alba became rigid. Tuaisceart sensed his brother's change and tensed as well. The nearby trees rustled with large movement. The brothers could faintly hear the sound of a foreign language as its speakers advanced.

_"Quam eum invenire possumus?" _a voice asked.

_"Nescio,"_ another answered.

_"Sciam quando eum sentio!"_ barked a voice. Alba gasped. The earlier, foreign feeling he felt while watching the Romans on the beach began to spread through him again. Rome was approaching. Alba observed Tuaisceart. He felt it too.

The brothers held their breath, not daring to make a sound. They shrunk into nearby bushes as they waited for the Romans to pass. The large men slowly walked by, taking in their surroundings. Alba observed Rome from his hiding place as he came closer. The man was tall and muscular with a competitive gleam in his eyes. He growled in frustration.

_"Minime! Comminus est. Certus sum sentire possum eius praesentiam,"_ Rome snarled. He motioned for his soldiers to continue on. Alba and Tuaisceart sighed quietly in relief and prepared to run back to Eire and Cymru in the meadow. However, their plans were cut short. Large waves of pain hit Albion's chest.

He began to scream.

Before either of the brothers could react, they felt themselves being lifted off of the ground. Alba immediately began to kick and lash out at the Roman soldier who held him. Tuaisceart remained passive for fear that he would drop his younger brother. Rome snatched the pained toddler from Tuaisceart's grasp.

_"Let him go!" _Alba screamed at Rome. _"Do not dare touch him!"_ Rome looked at Alba with amusement.

_"Quid illis sunt sonis? Vacas quod facere linguam?"_ he mocked at the child. Alba glared at Rome while Tuaisceart looked at him with wild confusion. Fear was evident in both of the brothers' eyes. Albion continued to scream and clutch at his chest in Rome's grasp. Rome watched Albion struggle in his arms, a look of disgust on his face. He ordered something to his soldiers. They released Alba and Tuaisceart before the entourage promptly turned and began to leave. Albion's pain began to subside briefly and he became aware of his surroundings once again. He panicked once he realized he was no longer in his brother's arms.

_"ALBA!" _ he screamed. _"Alba, save me!"_

Alba felt his fury skyrocket.

_"Oi! You cannot have him! Let him go!"_ he shouted at Rome. He grabbed a large stick off of the forest floor and threw it at Rome. The stick struck him in the back of the head, earning Alba his full attention. The two glared at each other as Alba began to charge towards the empire. Rome barked another order at his soldiers. The last thing Alba remembered was the Roman soldiers running toward him and Tuaisceart and Albion's screaming before everything went black.

* * *

_An eight year old Alba tumbled in the tall the grass, allowing the stalks to lick at his pale his skin. His five year old twin brothers were lying next to him, enjoying the feeling of the warm sun on their skin. The two year old Cymru sat nearby and watched his brother with childish amusement evident on his face. The brothers had spent all morning like this while they eagerly awaited their mother's return._

_Just as the four brothers found themselves drifting into a blissful state of being, Britannia emerged from the forest. Her pale skin and hair radiated in the sunlight. She was healthy and beautiful, just as she was when she left. Her emerald eyes watched her sons with pride as she approached them. In her slender arms, she carried a small bundle._

_Immediately, Britannia's children ran to her. They had waited months for her return and she was finally home. They grabbed at her legs and waist as they desperately hugged her. Each craved her attention after her long absence._

"Hello, my little ones. I have missed you all," _she told them softly. Alba looked up at the bundle in her arms._

"_M__á__thair, _what are you holding?"_ he asked. Cymru stood on his toes as if the small height difference would allow him to see the surprise that their mother had brought them. Britannia smiled at each of her sons before pulling back some of the blanket, revealing the small face of an infant._

"This is your new baby brother," _she explained. _"He is the southern portion of my lands. His name is Albion. He is very small, so you _must_ be gentle with him." _She led her sons over to the tree, and the family sat comfortably in its shade. Once situated, Britannia removed more of the blanket to reveal Albion. The baby was deep in sleep, unaware of the attention that he was receiving. The four brothers stared at Albion with curiosity. Cymru held the most interest among them, being the youngest before Albion's birth. The infant had porcelain skin and rosy cheeks, just like his mother and his brothers. If he had opened his eyes, his older brothers would see that they matched their shade of green perfectly. However, Albion had one trait that set him apart from his brothers: his hair was the exact same shade of blond as their mother's. Not one of his brothers had their mother's hair color._

"I must tell you all something," _Britannia said after a while. She bit her lip nervously, carefully thinking of how to word her next phrase. _"Rome and I are settling out some business. I will be away for longer amounts of time and will not be able to see you all as often. I need you all to look after one another during my absence, especially Albion and Cymru as they are still very young. Do you understand this?" _The brothers nodded, excited for the opportunity to please their mother._

_Years had passed since the day Britannia brought Albion home. How many exactly, the brothers couldn't say. They witnessed generations of people pass in the nearby tribes of Britannia, yet they scarcely aged. Their mother visited when she could, however with each visit her health continued to deteriorate. Bruises and scars adorned her pale skin and her once lively eyes began to dull. However her smile was always one of pure bliss when she was with her sons. When they asked of her health, she merely comforted them and told them all was well. Only Alba knew of the treatment from Rome she endure in order to protect her lands. To protect _them_._

_As he grew older, she placed on him the responsibility to watch over his brothers. When she learned of Rome's desires to invade Southern Britannia, she urged Alba to pay close attention to Albion. He was much too weak for his age, and still far too young to experience the effects of an invasion._

* * *

Alba jerked his eyes open. The skies were dark and the forest was deserted. Tuaisceart lay next to him, unmoving.

_"Tuaisceart! Get up!"_ Alba said as he shook him. Tuaisceart carefully opened his eyes.

_"Alba? What happened?"_ he asked. Alba stood up, swaying slightly as his blood rushed to his head. Memories of Roman men, panic, and Albion flashed in his mind. He helped Tuaisceart get to his feet.

_"Rome has Albion! We need to find them!"_ he explained. He led his brother through the forest. They wound their way through the trees, carefully avoiding debris on the forest floor. They reached the spot that Alba recognized to be the scouting point he and Eire had used just the day before.

He squinted his eyes in the dark as he searched the distant beach. The Roman ships remained floating in the water, bobbing gently with the tide. Roman items littered the beach. However, no Romans could be found. Alba kicked a nearby tree before sinking to his knees. Hot tears spilled from his young eyes.

_"I cannot believe that I lost him. I cannot believe they beat me so _easily._ What would M__á__thair say? I let her down," _he mumbled. His body went numb, and he continued to sit on his knees. Tuaisceart watched him from a comfortable distance, unsure of what to do. They weren't sure how long they remained that way, but when Alba finally regained his senses and the last of his frustrated tears fell, he stood back on his feet.

_"Come. We need to return to Eire and Cymru. I need to get you three out of here before Rome comes back," _he said. Tuaisceart nodded and followed after his older brother.

_"Why did Rome leave us?" _Tuaisceart asked after a while. _"We were defenseless. There was no way that we stood a chance against him if we resisted._"

_"He wants to build up his forces here first,"_ Alba answered. _"Albion's lands are closest to his foreign territories. Now that he has succeeded in taking Albion, it will not be long before he returns for the rest of us."_ Tuaisceart scuttled closer to Alba.

When they finally returned to Eire and Cymru, Eire ran to Alba.

_"What happened?"_ he demanded. _"I was so worried. Cymru is confused and terrified beyond belief!"_ As if to demonstrate his point, Cymru sniffled into his knees. Alba made no move to respond. He couldn't. He had never felt so defenseless in his life and was filled with regret for not being more careful with Albion. He stood in front of Eire and stared off, his gaze focused on nothing.

_"We found Rome," _Tuaisceart responded when he realized that Alba was incapable of doing so. Eire's eyes widened.

_"Where is Albion?!"_ he asked, grabbing Alba's shoulders. Alba stood limply in Eire's arms.

_"We need to move north,"_ Alba responded bluntly.

_"Where is he, Alba?"_ Eire demanded. Alba ignored him.

_"ALBA!"_

_"ROME TOOK HIM!" _Alba screamed. _"ROME TOOK HIM AND WE COULD NOT STOP HIM!"_ Eire stared at Alba, his facial expression one of torment. He was barely aware of Cymru's wailing behind him as the child cried out of confusion and fear of his brother's sudden anger. Tuaisceart sat next to him and pulled him into a comforting hug.

_"And we are just going to leave him here? We cannot do that! We need to find him. We need to get him back, Alba!" _Eire instructed. Alba nodded.

_"I know. I will get him back. But first I need to take you three to safety before Rome can take you, too!" _Alba snapped. Eire flinched. After a moment, he slowly nodded.

When the brothers finally managed to calm Cymru down, they gathered their few belongings and took one last look around their meadow. Once they collected themselves, Alba led them away from their home. It was with mixed feelings that he left Rome behind him.

_I will be back for you, Albion,_ he thought to himself. _I will not leave you behind. We will be a family again. I will free you from Rome. And M__á__thair too. I promise._

Unbeknownst to Alba, that would be the beginning of many promises to Albion that he would not be able to keep.

* * *

**Alright, so that takes care of the first chapter! I'm anticipating Roman rule in Britannia to be about three chapters. Although there isn't much history in this, I can explain a few things:**

**The Romans first successfully invaded southern Britannia in 43 AD in what is today Fishbourne, England. They had atttempted multiple times before (hence the bruises on Britannia mentioned in this chapter), however this was their first successful invasion. The invasion was led by Aulus Plautius.**

**The following chapters of Roman Rule will have more history in them than this one did. I hope you enjoyed this and that you'll stick around to keep reading. Thank you!**


	2. Roman Rule: Part 2

**Londinium**

**60 AD**

Of all the things that Albion had grown to love throughout his years as an avatar, his new life was not one of them. It was filled with many strange advancements that his mind was scarcely capable of understanding. Each new invention that he stumbled upon sent him into the same reaction process: shock, fascination, and distaste. Being the small child that he was, he failed to understand that his less than pleasant attitude towards the inventions would not exist had they been invented by his own people. The bathhouses, government system, and general city life would have delighted him had they not been forced upon him by the Romans.

He _hated_ Rome.

Several years had passed since Albion's unfortunate first encounter with Rome and he had not seen his brothers since. Being an avatar, his growth relied solely on the advancement of his people. As Rome introduced new advancements to Albion's people, Albion had his first growth spurt in quite some time. While he appeared to be no older than a toddler when he was conquered by Rome, he now appeared to be around the physical age of four. However, as he was still quite young, his memories of his brothers often escaped him. He remembered how much he loved them and how happy they were together, however his memories of their appearance and small details in their personalities were lost to him. He remembered how strong Alba was and how he protected him, how introverted Cymru was and how he often spent his days lazing around with him, and how Eire and Tuaisceart often bickered with one another. What Albion failed to understand about his brothers was the reason as to why they had not yet come to save him.

"_And why should they come for you?_" Rome would ask him. "_What good are you to them?_"

Needless to say, Albion often found himself afraid of Rome's reasoning.

After being taken by Rome, Albion was led to a newly founded city that the Romans had proudly named Londinium. He couldn't explain why, but Albion immediately felt a connection with the city. The air seemed to hum and greet him upon his entrance, and Albion felt that he stood slightly straighter and felt a little more power thrum in his young veins. Rome seemed to notice the sudden change in the toddler's attitude as his curiosity peeked. He smiled knowingly to himself, proud of his progress thus far.

Albion's Latin lessons began as soon as he was introduced to his loggings. He would be living with Rome, much to his distaste. Part of his training included the learning of Latin and ridding him of the mess of sounds that Albion and his people called their native tongue. Never having a need to learn such complex grammar concepts and structures, it took quite some time before Albion become confident enough to attempt speaking the language on his own. He avoided speaking as much as possible to spite Rome and his Roman tutors, fighting their attempts to spread their culture. As expected from the greatest empire of the day, Albion's small rebellions received negative consequences.

These punishments varied, being anything from physical beatings to solitary confinement. While Albion's physical age was that of a young child, he was very much aware of the reasoning behind Rome's punishments. Regardless, his protests continued, much to Rome's frustrations. Albion refused to let Rome break him completely.

Unfortunately for Albion, Rome knew and continued to use Albion's weakness against him. He knew the emotional baggage that the child carried and would often remind him that his brothers had still yet to come for him. Albion was able to ignore Rome's words during the beginning of the invasion. However, as the years ticked by and he did not received any form of contact with his siblings, he couldn't help but allow the self-doubt to take over. As more years went by, his doubt became resentment.

Whenever Rome taunted him about his brothers, he felt anger flare in his veins. Why hadn't they rescued him? Why hadn't they tried to contact him? They had so much time to think of something – _anything_ – to help him. So why hadn't they? The only conclusion that his young mind could come to was the fact that they had either forgotten or that they simply didn't care. And these thoughts would haunt him in ways that Rome never could.

And Albion himself had attempted to reach out to his brothers. Whenever Rome was away for extended amounts of time, Albion would sneak out of their home and try to maneuver through the busy streets of Londinium and towards the woods and fields of wild Britannia. His attempts were always futile, as his tutors or Rome's soldiers always caught him before he was able to make it too far. Once he was unfortunate enough for Rome to catch him in the act.

_"ALBION!"_ he shouted. _"What exactly are you _doing_?!"_ Albion's small body trembled, but he held his chin high.

_"I'm going to find my brothers_," he explained. A beat of silence passed between the two avatars. Albion kept his small shoulders square as he watched the intensity behind Rome's gaze increase. Then, Rome grabbed Albion's arm and proceeded to drag him back to their home. Words weren't necessary. Albion knew what was coming.

_"You are _not _to leave this house without _my _consent!" _Rome shouted as he brought the whip down on Albion's back. _"You are _not _to seek out your savage brothers!_" Crack._ "They do not want you and you must stay away from their savage ways!" _Crack._ "You are _not_ to disobey me!"_ Crack.

_"You monster!"_ Albion screamed. _"You absolute monster!"_ Crack.

Albion was left trembling on the floor of his bedroom until a servant was ordered to clean the blood off of his wounds hours later. Five new scars were added to the growing collection that day, and Albion could not help but blame his brothers for leaving him behind.

As his resentment towards his brothers developed, so did his relationship with Rome. It was complicated to say the least. He hated Rome – _despised _– Rome. He longed for the days when he was free to do as he wished without the worry of responsibility and consequence. However, Rome was the only living being, aside from his tutors, that he had any sort of frequent contact with. He became needy and dependent upon the empire. The mixture of hatred and natural dependency that young humans feeltowards their caregivers clashed in his mind, and he was too young to sort out the complicated feelings.

Albion would never forget the first time Rome showed concern and worry for him, for it was also the first time a rebellion led by his people caused him physical pain. When Queen Boudica led the Britons in an uprising against the Romans, Albion was sure that he would die. Eighty thousand of his citizens were slaughtered in battle, and Londinium went up in flames.

His memory of the event was hazy. He remembered burning in his chest and the inability to breathe. There was blood. His chest exploded in crimson and small, trembling hands could do nothing to soothe it. As the flames around Rome's home in Londinium began their assault, his chest burned. He heard the roof collapse and smelled nothing but the thick congestion of smoke. He wanted to run, to sprint away from the madness as fast as he possibly could, however he was unable to do anything but lie on the ground and bleed.

Just as he was about to succumb to the comforting darkness, the door to his bedroom fell to the ground. In the doorframe stood Rome. He hurried over to his dying charge and collected him with gentle hands.

_"Do not worry, Albion,"_ he said with a shaky voice. "_I shall keep you safe."_

When Albion awoke, his torso was heavily bandaged and every muscle in his small body ached. He remembered Rome being there and helping him sit up to drink. Albion could not help but be cautious of Rome's behavior, however Rome only looked at him with concern. He had allowed his charge to teeter on the brink of death, and it was something for which he would never be able to forgive himself. As he looked at the helpless child that so depended on him, he could not help but be reminded of his two small grandsons back home.

While their relationship was still shaky at best, it began to improve after the incident. And as Albion healed and Rome showed more care, Albion's resistance came to an end. He had given up on his brothers.

What he didn't know was that they had not given up on him.

* * *

**Caledonia**

**(Scotland)**

**80 AD**

Eire couldn't remember a time when he had seen Alba so stressed. Not that he could blame him. Thirty-seven years passed since any of the brothers had seen Albion. They hadn't heard from their mother in decades either. And now, to make matters worse, for three years, Cymru had been sick, and his three remaining brothers could do nothing but watch as his health deteriorated as time went on. The Romans were successful in finally gaining control of all of Southern Britannia.

He had his good days as well as his bad. While the Romans expanded and brought growth to a new culture, he could not help but be sickened as his old culture and way of life was destroyed. His three older brothers were hopeful in 60 AD as they learned that Queen Boudica's rebellion in Londinium distracted the Romans from Cymru. They took it as a small blessing from Albion and hoped that it would be enough to stray the Romans away from Cymru for good. However, that was not the case.

Alba insisted on keeping them in hiding. While Rome held control over Cymru's lands, Alba would not allow him to take his brother. During Cymru's bad nights, Alba would watch over him as he fell into fitful bouts of sleep and calm Tuaisceart whenever needed. But Eire was not fooled by Alba's emotional mask.

Eire knew that their oldest brother was beginning to feel the pain of the Caledonians as they continued to fend off the Romans.

It was small things that gave him away. Eire saw the small winces every now and again that Alba attempted to hide. He heard news of the Romans trying to invade Northern Britannia. He heard that thus far, they had been unsuccessful. And this kept him believing that somehow, Alba would find a way to make everything return to its original state.

* * *

**Border of Caledonia and Albion**

**130 AD**

Albion followed in Rome's wake as he led his soldiers towards the north. For decades, his soldiers had fought the Caledonians and he was beginning to lose his patience. Rome decided that if the Caledonians refused to see reason and allow his people to civilize them, then he would do everything within his power to keep them away from his charge. Thus, Hadrian's Wall was built. Rome decided that it would be in Albion's best interest to see the structure for himself, however the boy had not been made aware of its existence.

_"We are going to go on a trip, Albion. Pack your things and get ready. We will leave at sunrise,"_ Rome instructed the night before their departure.

_"Where are we going?"_ Albion asked, curiosity peaked. Rome smiled.

_"I have a surprise that I would like to show you,"_ he answered. At Albion's confused expression, Rome continued. _"I have a lesson planned for you."_ Albion scrunched his nose up in response. Rome barked out a laugh. _"Prepare your things, Albion. I assure you that you will not be disappointed."_

The conversation led the duo and a handful of Roman soldiers on their venture towards the walls separating Caledonia from the Romans, or Alba from reaching Albion.

Albion stared at the ground ahead of him, his new armor, a gift from Rome, shining brilliantly in the sunlight. The armor should have made him feel strong and confident, however he couldn't help but feel branded. He briefly wondered what his brothers would have thought of him now, but he quickly shook the thought from his head. He had a terrible feeling that he would have let them down.

_"Walk with _pride_, Albion,"_ Rome said, turning behind him slightly to smile at the boy. _"Walk with confidence and show pride in your Roman armor."_

Albion lifted his gaze from the ground and looked ahead of him, raising his chin.

_"Keep your shoulders back and your spine straight. _Never_ forget that. You will always look respectful and powerful as long as you hold yourself well,"_ Rome finished. Albion did just that. Rolling his shoulders back and raising his spine, he continued to march forward, pushing all thoughts of his brothers aside.

As the sun began to set, the party set up their camp for the night. As Albion helped Rome sort and secure the supplies for the night, a stone wall in the distance grabbed his attention.

_"Rome?" _he asked.

_"Yes, Albion?"_

_"What is that?"_ Albion pointed towards the wall.

_"Ah, but that is the surprise. Do not think of it now. We shall have your lesson in the morning."_ Albion frowned as his gut began to turn uncomfortably. The wall was the only thing that could occupy his mind.

As night came and Rome and his soldiers found themselves deep in sleep, Albion quietly put his armor on and snuck away from the camp sight. Adrenaline coursed through his veins with every step he took away from the camp sight. Thoughts of the dire punishments he could receive if Rome caught him this far from him flashed through his mind, however it only made his actions all the more thrilling. He soon broke into a run as he progressed towards the stone wall. His armor shuffled in the quiet of the night.

When he finally reached the wall several minutes later, he cautiously reached out to touch it. He looked at it from left to right, seeing that it continued for some length and had no end as far as he could tell. Burning with curiosity, he began to climb. The wall was not particularly tall and Albion soon found himself rolling onto the top. From there, he fell onto the other side.

He landed on the ground with painful crash. His metal armor rang through the night, instantly causing Albion to freeze. He was much too far for Rome or his men to hear him, however his reflexes created his reaction. Just as he was sure that the coast was clear, Albion was suddenly grabbed and slammed against the wall. A knife was held up to his throat. He was aware of words being directed towards him, however their meaning was lost to him. He could only concentrate on the painfully familiar voice.

_"Are you deaf? I asked you what you were doing here, filthy Roman!"_

Albion released a shaky breath, feeling his entire body tremble with anticipation. Cautiously, he opened his eyes. Matching shades of green met, earning a gasp of surprise from each of the owners. Alba gawked as he stared at his long-lost brother.

_"Albion?"_ Albion was scarcely able to nod in response. Slowly, Alba lowered his knife and released his hold on his youngest brother. _"Oh, thank God! Albion!"_ He engulfed the boy into a hug. Albion, still in shock and struggling with the language that he had not spoken in decades, stood with his arms hanging limp against his sides. When Alba released him, he looked his youngest brother over.

_"You have grown," _Alba beamed. However, upon further inspection, his smile fell. "_Why are you wearing Roman armor?_" he asked. Albion, still in shock, was unable to respond. Alba felt anger begin to flare. _"Albion! Why are you wearing Roman armor?! Have you given up fighting?"_ Albion began to feel his own anger begin to kindle.

_"Well, you all stopped fighting, so I do not see why you are angry with me for doing the same!"_ he replied. Alba gawked at Albion.

_"Stopped fighting?!"_ he shouted. _"What do you mean?! We have been fighting for decades to save you! I am barely able to keep the Romans away from the others. They took over Cymru's lands! Albion, we have been doing everything that we can to help you – to _save_ you – and we have never thought of stopping. What could possibly make you think otherwise?"_ Albion thought over Alba's words. He had not seen his brothers in almost a hundred years and was unsure of what to make of Alba's sudden reappearance. He had been here the entire time and was not able to come into the southern lands to help? It was too much for Albion to think about.

_"Come with me."_ Albion snapped his attention back to his brother. Alba looked at him expectantly.

_"What?"_ he asked, eyes widening in surprise.

_"Come with me, Albion. I can help you now. I can take you away from Rome. We can be together again. All of us! _Máthair_ has even returned and is staying with us again. They will all be so glad to see you!"_ Alba grabbed his brother's hand and began to lead him away from the wall. Albion allowed his brother to pull him along, his thoughts racing through his head. See his brothers again? See his _mother_ again? Be a family? He would be free to run and play and do as he pleased once again! This was perfect! After decades of being with Rome, his big brother Alba was finally here to save him! It was then that a horrible wave of guilt hit him.

Rome.

He could not leave Rome behind. He reacted purely by instinct, and dug his heels into the ground while pulling back against Alba's grip.

_"No!" _Albion shouted. Alba turned to face him.

_"What? What do you mean 'no'?"_ Alba asked. _"Surely you do not want to stay imprisoned by Rome?"_ Albion's anger flared.

_"He is not that bad!"_ Albion argued. _"You would do well to learn from him."_ Alba raised an eyebrow.

_"Oh? And how so?"_ he dared. Albion knew anyone else would stand down now. Alba was a fierce fighter, and it brought nothing but harm to argue against him. However, he felt safe around his brother and continued.

_"Rome can help you. He can civilize your people and teach you things you could not even imagine. He is wise and strong and you would benefit from his guidance."_ Alba glowered at Albion.

_"Civilize my people? Help me?"_ Alba spat. He narrowed his eyes dangerously. _"What gives you the authority to tell me what is best? I am still the older brother."_

_"My people are modern and well educated, and I have become strong under Rome's guidance. Have I not grown significantly since you last saw me?"_

_"You _eejit! _Are you saying that your people are superior to mine?"_ Albion nodded.

_"But Alba! I can help you! Come with me to Rome! He can help you."_

_"Help me?"_ Alba asked exasperatedly. _"No, Albion. Perhaps you have given up on our culture but I have not. Do you not realize that Máthair is dying because of Rome? As Eire's, Tuaisceart's, and my own people have grown, we have become strong as well. When Rome took over your lands and Cymru's as well, she weakened greatly. If you do not fight him, I am sure she will die!"_ Albion froze at his words. Their mother? Die? Surely Alba was mistaken. He shook his head and stepped back from Alba.

_"But Alba, I do not believe that is true. I do not see how our growth could bring her weakness."_

"_Then Rome has not taught you as much as you believe. If we grow strong enough, we will turn into countries ourselves and Máthair will no longer exist. You are a selfish fool for choosing Rome over your own blood. I am going to return to our brothers. I will tell them of your opinions. Good bye, Albion."_ Alba turned his back to his brother and proceeded to leave. Albion, panicked by his brother's sudden departure, called for him.

_"Alba, please! Do not leave like this! You are still my older brother."_ He ran towards Alba and enclosed his arms around his torso, bringing Alba into a desperate hug. _"Please, brother, do not leave like this."_ Alba's anger spiked, and he shoved Albion to the ground. He then trapped Albion by placing his foot on top of his chest. He pressed down and Albion gasped as air left his lungs.

_"Do_ not _touch me!"_ Alba spat. _"You have sold your soul to Rome. You are no brother of mine! You are no son of Britannia!"_

Alba removed his foot from Albion's chest and fled. Albion took desperate gulps of air as he watched Alba fade into the dark of night.

Albion remained on the ground next to the wall until morning. Rome and his soldiers collected him late that morning, relieved to have found the young avatar. Rome was furious at Albion for crossing to the other side of the wall alone, however he left his actions unpunished. Albion followed Rome back to their home, leaving his brothers and the wall that separated them behind.

* * *

**Londinium**

**208 AD**

_"Why is he doing this?!"_ Albion screamed. He writhed on the floor, body flaring in pain. Rome crouched next to his charged, observing Albion's reactions with mild concern.

_"They do not care for you, Albion. They are jealous of your growth, and they wish to see you fall,"_ Rome explained. Albion opened his mouth to reply, but instead released a strangled groan as another wave of pain coursed through him. "_Do not worry, Albion. The fighting shall be over soon. I have sent soldiers to fight off your brother's tribes. The Caledonians will not prevail."_

Albion continued to pant and lie on the floor as the battle in the north continued. He vaguely wondered if Alba was feeling the pain as well. He distantly heard Rome sigh beside him.

_"Stand, Albion. Do not allow your enemies to bring you to the ground,"_ Rome commanded. Albion nodded, bringing himself to stand shakily on his feet. He swayed before falling to his knees. Rome began to shout. _"Albion! If you are to be an empire one day you cannot be so weak as to lose to your savage brothers! What have I trained you for? Now stand!"_

Rome's shouting buzzed in Albion's ears. He knew he needed to stand. He knew he could not be so weak if he ever wanted to meet Rome's full expectations – his own expectations – and become an empire one day. However, he had lost all control of his body.

He fell to the ground as he lost consciousness.

* * *

**409 AD**

For almost three centuries, the fighting between Albion and Alba continued. The damage created from their conversation by Hadrian's Wall all those years ago crumbled their relationship, leaving both brothers bitter. However, with Rome's guidance, Albion was able to stand strong. For several years he was able to hold himself against his brother's attacks. What bothered him most of all was the fact that no matter what the Roman soldiers seemed to do, they were never able to invade Alba's lands completely. Whether he was bothered because he wanted Alba to be able to learn from Rome as he had or because Alba was able to evade the power of Rome, he was unsure. But as time went on, politics and war brought Rome's departure from Britannia, leaving Albion behind.

_"You have made me very proud, Albion. You have grown so much,"_ Rome said to him.

_"Then why are you leaving me? What have I done wrong?"_ Albion begged, tears stinging his young eyes. Rome smiled gently.

_"You have done nothing wrong, child. But I am needed elsewhere. But do not fret, for this will not be the last time you see me,"_ Rome said.

_"Will you be back soon?" _Albion asked, tears escaping his eyes. Rome hesitated. He was unsure of when he would return. But seeing the young child before him, with his messy blond hair and bushy eyebrows furrowed as he attempted to control his emotions, he knew he needed to provide an answer. He kneeled in front of Albion, bringing himself to eye level, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"_I do not know when I will be back, Albion," _he said. _"But I will return to you as soon as possible."_

Fourteen years had passed since Rome's departure from the lands of Britannia, and Albion had not heard from him since. Fighting with his oldest brother continued in the north, and Albion began to worry as more and more of Rome's soldiers began to withdraw from Britannia in order to assist in fighting against the barbaric Germanic tribes. He knew that Rome had his reasons for staying away for so long, but he could not help but feel abandoned. He frequently succumbed to the feelings he felt long ago when he was certain that his brothers would not rescue him.

His emotions peaked to a point where they became unbearable. His small body, no physically older than that of a seven year old, shook as the dangerous thoughts entered his mind. He was no fool, for he knew that he was not as strong as Rome said (he never really understood why Rome believed that he would follow in his empiric footsteps one day), but he knew what needed to be done. He needed help, and Rome was no longer able to provide him the necessary aid he so desperately needed. Whether it was the influence of his people or his own emotions that guided him, he couldn't tell, but Albion knew that there would be no better timing than the present.

It was time for him to break free of the Roman Empire.

**410 AD**

_"And do you truly believe that you will be better off without me?" _Rome asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at the young colony.

_"I know what my people want and what you can no longer provide,"_ Albion replied simply. He expected anger from the great empire, a hatred so strong that it would elicit a physical beating. It had been decades, _centuries_, since Rome had beaten the young boy, but Albion was prepared for anything. Except for what happened.

Rome merely shook his head and chuckled softly.

_"Perhaps you are right, Albion,"_ Rome replied. _"I cannot care for you as I was once able."_

Albion stared at the avatar before him, shock evident in his green eyes. Rome sighed and slumped into a nearby chair, closing his eyes as his body relaxed. It was then that he noticed just how exhausted the empire was.

He knew that the politics within the Roman Empire were in a bad state, but he had not seen the physical effects they had on the avatar. Rome looked _sick._ Albion could not remember Rome ever looking ill. He had always been so strong and confident and _healthy _that seeing him so tired was unnerving. As he looked at Rome, the only firm guidance in his life and the closest thing he had ever had to a father, he realized that even an empire as strong and as old as the Roman Empire had their days numbered. And Rome's were coming to an end.

He wanted to ask Rome how he was feeling – if he hurt – but he knew that it was not his place to pry. Rome taught him well after all, and even during their discussion of his independence, he could not bring himself to disappoint his mentor.

_"You have made me very proud, Albion."_ Rome's voice cut off his train of thought. Albion became overwhelmed, and he found that he lost his sense of self-control. He thought of the words Alba said to him on the night of their meeting at Hadrian's Wall.

_"My mother will die if I become independent."_ It wasn't a question, but Rome responded with a sad, knowing look all the same.

_"Yes. She will die."_ Albion bit his lip.

_"Then I should not follow through with my independence. I cannot be the cause of my mother's death,"_ he decided. Rome sighed.

_"Albion, you and your brothers have seen significant growth within the past few centuries. I am surprised your mother is still alive today. Her death, as with all of the avatars of old, is soon approaching. She is one of the few remaining. If she dies after your independence, then it will not be by your doing."_

_"But I refuse to be the final incident that causes her to fall!" _Albion shouted, unable to hold himself back.

_"Would you like to speak with her?"_ Rome asked.

_"What?"_

_"Would you like to see her?"_

_"She is here?" _Albion asked, eyes sparking with life. He had not seen or heard from his mother in over four hundred years. He scarcely remembered what she looked like, and the idea of finally being able to have her hold and embrace him and tell him how much she loved him again made him happy in a way he had never known before.

Rome nodded and gestured for him to follow him. Rome led Albion across the busy streets of Londinium. The empire could not help but smile as he observed the life of Albion's capital thrum with activity. Their walk was not long, and Albion soon found himself following Rome into a small building.

Albion's eyes immediately fell on her and absorbed every small detail. Her long, blond hair was dull and her eyes lacked the life he barely remembered. However she smiled and ran to him, and he felt his legs unconsciously run towards her. She wrapped her thin arms around him, holding him tightly to her as she embraced her lost son.

They stayed holding one another for several minutes, attempting to make up for their lost time in the small moment. When they finally broke apart, Britannia kept her son close. She looked him up and down before smiling broadly at him. She spared a glance to Rome, giving him an appreciative smile. Albion never understood the relationship between his mother and Rome, and accepted the fact that he probably never would, but in that moment he could tell that she was thanking him for his work.

_"Look at you, my dear, lovely Albion,"_ she whispered. Her eyes glistened with a thin layer of water. _"My dear, _dear_ son."_

_"I missed you, Máthair,"_ Albion chocked, resorting to his old language. _"I hope you are not disappointed with what I have become."_ Britannia looked at her son in shock. She gently lifted his chin with her hand to bring him to look at her.

_"And why would you ever think that I would be disappointed in you?"_ she asked.

_"Alba is. All of my brothers are." _Britannia frowned.

_"Your brothers are not disappointed in you. You are all still so young and still have much to learn. It may take some time, but one day you and your brothers will understand one another. Please promise me, Albion, that you will always remember that they love you."_ Albion nodded, and Britannia took a deep breath before bringing up the reason for their meeting. _"You wish to become independent."_

_"No! I could never do that to you,"_ Albion explained, panicking slightly.

_"Albion, you must claim your independence,"_ Britannia said. Albion looked at her, clearly confused.

_"But it will kill you, will it not?"_ he asked. Britannia nodded.

_"Yes, I will die. But you will not be the reason for my death. Everything happens for a reason, Albion. I need you to follow through with your actions. My time has come."_

Albion was frightened, to say the least. He looked at his mother and saw that she looked sick like Rome. Her movements were shaky and her face looked drained of health and life. It was obvious that she was dying. As he looked at her and heard her soothing, comforting words, he came to realize that she had long ago accepted her death. They spoke for several more minutes, all the while Britannia ran her delicate fingers through her son's messy, blond hair. Albion leaned into her touch, knowing that in minutes, she would no longer be with him. She was dying, and he was powerless to stop it.

After a while, Rome cleared his throat, signaling that it was time. With a final embrace, Britannia kissed her son tenderly on his forehead. She then stood and held his hand, leading him over to Rome. She gently squeezed his hand before letting go and turning her attention to the brunette man before her. Tears streamed down her face and Rome raised a strong hand to gingerly wipe them from her cheeks. She chuckled humorlessly as Rome gave her a loving smile. He then leaned in towards her, planting a loving kiss on her lips. She returned the kiss eagerly. When they broke apart, they smiled at one another. She then turned her attention back to her son.

_"I will always love you, Albion."_

_"How shall I tell my brothers of your death?"_ Albion asked, slightly shocked by the display of affection his mother and Rome had shared.

_"I have already spoken with them. They are aware and we shared our farewells," _she responded. She took a deep breath. _"I love you so, _so_ much, Albion, and am so proud of you. More than you will ever know. I want you to remember that always."_

The next day, Rome and Albion stood by Britannia's grave. Albion allowed the tears to fall freely from his eyes, unashamed of them. He felt stronger with his newly acquired freedom, but he was unable to use any of his newfound strength. Rome kept a comforting hand on his small shoulder.

_"You are dying as well," _Albion stated. Rome's hold on his shoulder tightened slightly.

_"Yes. I do not know when, but my time is drawing to an end."_ Albion moved so quickly that it took Rome a minute to understand what happened. Albion gripped tightly to Rome's torso, sobbing openly into his stomach. Rome kneeled to his level and returned his embrace.

_"What is it about you, child, that has brought the great Roman Empire to his knees?"_ Rome asked, amusement lacing his words. Albion shrugged.

_"Thank you for everything you have taught me,"_ Albion spoke into Rome's chest, grip tightening.

_"And the same to you," _Rome chuckled. _"I know that you will be great one day, Albion. One day, you will be the empire that I have always envisioned you to be."_ They were words that Rome had told Albion all his life.

And for the first time, standing in the face of his new independence, Albion was finally able to believe them.

* * *

**Hello, everyone! I'm sorry it took me such a shamefully long time to update this story. I lost some motivation to write this chapter and became extremely busy with school and college applications. But now I have a very small workload at school, have been accepted to my top choice university, and have just started my spring break, so I hope to update much sooner than I did with this chapter! Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows. It helps so much to see people take an interest in this story, and motivated me to finally just churn this out.**

**My hopes for this story is to work on character development (not my strongest area, writing wise), and I feel that I did not do the England/Rome relationship justice. I hope I didn't disappoint too badly. This chapter did not turn out as I hoped it would. Also, I studied the bare minimum Roman Britain in Latin class, so the majority of the history in this chapter is self-taught. I am doing my best to keep this story as historically accurate as possible, however I do not have anyone to give me historical feedback before publishing, so I apologize for any historical inaccuracies.**

**Historical Notes:**

**First off, Roman occupation of the majority of Britannia was for military occupation and expansion of the Roman Empire. However, in this story (to further character development in later chapters) Rome is placing the foundation for England's desire to become an empire and to have power. Do not look at Rome's prophecy for England's empire as anything historical because it is not.**

**Londinium: This probably doesn't require an explanation, but it is what is now London.**

**Queen Boudica: Boudica was the queen of the British Iceni tribe and helped lead an uprising against the Romans in Britannia. During the fighting, Comulodunum (Colchester) was destroyed and Londinium and Verulamium (St. Albans) were burned to the ground. It is estimated that 70,000-80,000 people were killed in the destruction of these cities.**

**77 AD: Wales is conquered by the Roman Empire. Queen Boudica's rebellion distracted the Romans from conquering Wales earlier. During this time (and during the entirety of Roman occupation in Britannia), the Romans attempted to invade Scotland. While the Romans invaded Scotland several times and were able to take small portions, they were never able to gain control over Scotland completely.**

**Caledonians: An indigenous group of people in Scotland that would later become the Picts. They were an enemy of the Romans.**

**Hadrian's Wall: A wall built under the orders of Emperor Hadrian. This wall marked the northern border of Roman occupied Britain, and was used as a defense mechanism against the Caledonians. Its construction began in 122 AD and finished around 128 AD. Antonine's Wall began construction in 142 AD and finished in 154 AD. It was built for similar reasons to Hadrian's Wall, but is much further north.**

**208 AD: Septimus Severus comes to Britannia to aid the Romans in fighting the Caledonians. He lead an invasion into Scotland, but died two years later.**

**395 AD: In this story, Rome leaves Britannia in order to return to Europe. The early signs of the fall of the Roman Empire begin to appear around this time (low employment, failing economy, various rebellions, etc.). To make it worse for Rome, Germanic tribes in northern Europe were attacking the Roman Empire, causing many Roman soldiers to leave Britannia in order to fight the barbarians.**

**End of Roman Rule in Britannia: There is no official date as to when Britannia become independent from the Rome Empire as different sections of Britannia became independent at different times. In 383 AD, Roman rule in western and northern Britannia came to an end, relieving Scotland and Wales of Roman occupation. However, by 410 AD the Romans had left Britannia to their own defense.**

**476 AD: The fall of the Roman Empire. While Rome does not die in this chapter, this is the last that England will ever see of him.**


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